Elevator.



M. F. SILVA.

` ELEvAroR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE l, l9|8A 1,27?,763 Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

' 2 SHEETS-'SHEET 2- ran sra 1V[A1\`I'U'1lLy FRANCISCO SILVA, OF CENTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Application filed June 1, 191s. serial No. 237,798.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, MANUEL FRANCISCO SILVA, a citizen of the United States, resid ing at Centerville, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevators;` and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention, suchk as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

'My invention relates to improvements in elevators and more Vparticularly to auto# matic means for locking them against falling in case of injury to the hoisting cable. I am aware that devices have heretofore been provided `for attaining the same end, but the obj ect of my invention is to improve upon such devices, particularly the releasing means for the locking means, it being my intention to provide means whereby the locking means is normally held out of operation by the hoisting cable until the latter is damaged, and to provide such connections between the cable and locking means as to permit the former and the parts with which it is connected to return to hoisting position after repairing of the cable, beforethe locking means is released, said means being then automatically returned to inactive position.

With the foregoing object in view, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and unique combinations `of parts to be hereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application and in which:

Figure l is a vertical section of an elevator shaft and one of the guide rails thereof, showing a side elevation of the elevator;

Fig. 2l is a vertical section on the plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the locking cams in operative position;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the planeV indicated by the line 4 4 of Fig. V2 showing the relation of the cam operating means when the cams are in active position;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical section similar to the lower end of Fig. 4, illustrating the relation of parts when the hoisting means has been repaired and returned to its initial position; and ,l

Fig. 6 is a. horizontal section. onthe plane indicated by the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

In the drawings above briefiy described, the numeral 1 designates an elevator, 2 has reference tothe shaft thereof, 3 refers to the vertical guide tracks of the shaft,k and 4 designates the guides engaging said tracks and secured to the elevator.l These parts may be of the usual or any preferred construction, making suitable provision however for the parts to be hereinafter described.

Mounted preferably below the fioor 5 of the elevator 1, are two parallel horizontal shafts 6, connected by gear segments or the like 7 for rotation in unison but in opposite directions, the ends of said shafts having cams 8 provided with teeth 9 adapted to grip vthe tracks 3 in case the hoisting cable 10 is broken or otherwise damaged so that the elevatorlis not properly supported thereby. For controlling the shafts 6, the arrangement now to be described is provided. A vertically movable arm 11 or other suitable member either extends laterally from one shaft 6 or is otherwise suitably connectedthereto to so rotate this shaft as to normally hold both cams 8 in inoperative position when said arm is raised as seen for instance in Fig. l. When lowering of the arm is permitted, however, the shafts and cams are so turned as to throw the teeth 9 against the tracks 3 as featured in Fig. 3. Arm 11 is provided with a slot or other opening 12 through which the lower end of a vertical rod 13 passes slidably, said rod having a shoulder 14 resting on said arm and an additional shoulder 15 spaced below the same, a coiled spring 16 being interposed between said last named shoulder and the arm, this arrangement being illustrated most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5. The rod 13 rises through a tube 17 carried by the elevator and is connected at its upper end to a lateral arm 18 on a vertically movable horif Zonta-l bar 19 to which the cable 10 is connected in any preferred manner, the ends of said bar being reduced to provide shoes 20 Voperating in vertical slots 21 in the sides of the elevator or in other preferred guides, said shoes normally contacting with the upper ends of the slots or guides to take all strain of lifting the elevator from the rod 13. The moment the cable is damaged however, thebar or other appropriate member 19 is forced downwardly by a coiled spring or the like 22, thus depressing rod 13, swinging arm 11 downwardly to the position of Fig. 4, and applying the teeth 9 of the cams 8 to the tracks, thus locking the elevator against falling. The spring 22 preferably surrounds a tube 23 rising from the bar 19 around the cable 10, but this is a rather unimportant detail which may be varied as occasion may demand.

After the car has been locked -against yaccidental descent in the manner above set forth, the cable 10 is of course repaired or replaced by a new one as soon as possible, and when this has been done a slight upward pull on the cable in question, by its winding means, will move bar 19 upwardly to hoistingposition, that is until the shoes 20 strike the upper ends of the slots or other guides 2l. This move-ment of bar 19 raises rod 13 in respect kto the arm 11V and thus plaeesspring 16 under tension as featured in Fig. 5. When now the cable is further pulled and the entire weight of the car is supported thereby, the energy stored up in spring 16 serves tok return arm 11 to its initial position, thus so rotating the two shafts 6 as to release the cams from the tracks. The provision of the spring 1G or some elastic element in the connecting means between the hoisting cable and the locking means is a highly desirable feature, since it insures that the hoisting Cable shall be in truly operative position and condition 'before the locking means is released; and while I have illustrated only one embodiment of this arrangement, it is to be understood that the same result could be obtained in numerous ways, and that I am not therefore limited to the exact details shown. Also, I wish to make it clear that the entire showing is for illustrative purposes only and that within the scope of the invention as claimed, considerable latitude is allowed for making numerous minor changes as occasion may dictate.

I claim:

In combination with an elevator and a hoisting` cable thereof, a vertically movable member on the elevator to which said cable is secured, said member having limited upward movement, means for locking the elevator against falling in case of injury to the cable, a second vertically movable member for holding said locking means in inoperative position when raised and for applying said means when lowered, said second meinber having an opening, a rod depending from said first named member and sliding through said opening, shoulders on said rod above and below said second member, and a coiled spring around said rod between said last named member and the lower shoulder.

In testimony whereof I rhave hereunto set my hand.

MANUEL FRANCISCO SILVA. Witnesses:

ALBERT Roennz,

IV. A. Yarns.

Copies of ythis patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

